In Me It Shows
by Crazy Girl Person
Summary: Being an adult means taking responsibility for your actions. Naoto understands this and is ready to accept the consequences. She just worries how her Grampa will react when she tells him she's pregnant.
1. Positive

A/N: This is a prompt I'm filling out for badbadbathouse. Well, it was already filled, but it inspired me so here we are. I'm still trying to get a feel for the P4 characters so if something doesn't sound right, please don't hesitate to let me know. That's what the reviews are for, ne? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

In Me It Shows

Chapter 1: Positive

Naoto rubbed her hands nervously as she paced in her bathroom. She bit her lip, exhaling a shaky breath as her fingers twitched. How did she get herself into this mess? Stupid. The whole thing was entirely stupid. And reckless. Don't forget reckless and not at all like her. Then again, she had been behaving differently since she had joined the team. The changes were subtle at first, no doubt brought on by facing herself and gaining her Persona . . . but perhaps more so at being accepted by peers her own age.

Sad as it may be to say, this was the first time she ever really had friends. She was not the only one though . . .

Kanji Tatsumi . . .

Naoto looked at the device on the sink as she juggled the name in her mind. This really was his fault, wasn't it? She sighed. No, that wasn't fair to say . . . though now that she thought about it, perhaps it had truly started when she had met him.

He had a crush on her. Being a detective, she was somewhat shamed that it had taken Rise nearly spelling it out for her to realize this. In her defense, her mind was focused on reading the intentions of murdering madmen, not love sick high school students. That and her . . . unfortunate social ineptitude and inexperience left her at a disadvantage. It really wasn't fair. Not that it mattered though. She was a detective investigating a series of murders. She hadn't the time for trivial relations. Besides, though she viewed Kanji as a reliable ally, she wasn't interested in him.

Or so she thought.

Even in retrospect, as she waited for her fate to be revealed, she wasn't sure when or what had caused her to start feeling differently around him. Perhaps it was the mutual understanding she felt from him. Someone else who knew what it felt like to be utterly alone. Maybe it was when he had come to see her when she stepped outside during the beauty pageant, feeling absolutely flustered. Or the time he had snapped at her to 'get it together' when Nanako was in the hospital – not mincing words or condescending to her – just straight up telling her.

Did it really matter? End result was the same.

Before she knew it, her heart started fluttering when Kanji was around and the tiniest blushes would appear on her cheeks. She did her best to repress it. She was on an investigation after all. She hadn't the time for relationships of that manner. Besides, Kanji Tatsumi? He just wasn't her type. But the more she fought it, the harder her heart would pound, the more her breath would quicken until she felt like something inside of her would rupture. Well, _something_ certainly ruptured the day she allowed herself to cuddle against his chest, his arms encircling her gently but securely. Types be damned. She didn't know how she got there, but she was in love.

It was still a stupid thing to do. So stupid she, of course, found herself doing it multiple times.

Their first time was nearly disastrous. They were both nervous, inexperienced, and Kanji was so afraid he was going to hurt her. They got the hang of it after a while and holy cow – Kanji was a surprisingly good lay. They used protection of course. They weren't _completely_ stupid about it . . . .

Didn't matter. The telltale signs came first in the form of mild cramping and bleeding. What Naoto first passed off as a light period came back in the form of nausea and vomiting. Food poisoning, she had thought, until last week at school. She had felt lightheaded as she and Rise were walking from class on their first break, then the next thing she knew, one if the male students was picking her up off the floor and carrying her to the nurse.

Naoto sighed. She was a detective. She couldn't ignore the mounting evidence. All that remained was testing her theory, but never in her life had she ever wished her intuition was wrong. She glanced at her wrist watch and pursed her lips. The results should be ready now . . . she took a deep breath and approached the sink. Snatching up the pregnancy test before her hands had a chance to hesitate; she felt her throat grow tight. Her eyes locked on the little pink plus sign and her grip tightened. She stepped back slowly until her back hit the wall and from there she slid to the floor, her eyes never leaving the test until her hand dropped to her side. She leaned her head back until it too bumped the wall as she groaned inwardly.

How could she be so stupid?

-----

A/N: The next part should be out very soon. Maybe later today if all goes well. Pleeeeease let me know what you think, even if you don't necessarily have something good to say. I accept all criticism so long as it's not senseless flaming. Please review!


	2. Cross Your Heart

In Me It Shows

Chapter 2: Cross Your Heart

Naoto removed her hat and ran her fingers through her hair. It was Sunday and the weather was nice. Sunny with a mild breeze to keep it from getting too hot. The shopping district was not crowded but she saw a few more people than usual walking the streets.

She shook her head and put her hat back on. What was she doing? She didn't have time for this. She had a very important task before her. She thought it best to let Kanji know as soon as possible but . . . it wasn't that she was nervous. Well, okay, there was that, but the potent aroma from Aiya Diner was certainly not helping. Every time she tried to approach the scent would get to her. She could smell it from across the street and at this point just the thought of it was making her queasy. Maybe if she waited for the wind to change . . .

"Naoto-kun!"

She looked up, seeing Rise peering down from her window in the tofu shop's second story before she disappeared inside. A minute later she was walking out of the store's entrance towards the blue haired girl with a concerned face. "Hey, you okay? You look pale."

"Oh . . . uh, I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately." She mumbled and Rise frowned.

"A bit? You look terrible."

Naoto raised her brows. "I do?" True, she felt ill, but she didn't think it was that bad. Rise nodded. "What are you doing here anyway? You should be resting! You've been getting sick nearly every day last week."

"I have . . . something I must discuss with Kanji-kun."

"Something that can't wait 'til tomorrow?" Rise asked, to which Naoto nodded. "Well, too bad. His store's really busy right now for some reason and he's helping his mom, but if you've gotta talk to him today, we can wait in my room until the rush dies down."

"That won't be necessary. I'll come back some other -"

"No way!" Rise cut in and Naoto's eyes widened in surprise. "You're coming upstairs whether you like it or not!" She let out a small gasp as the pop idol all but dragged her into the shop and up the stairs.

-----

Naoto sat cross legged on the floor of Rise's bedroom. She had gone back downstairs, saying she was going to get a snack and leaving the young detective surrounded by a painful amount of pink. Not that she was surprised, but the frilly curtains and blankets certainly didn't help. She unconsciously rubbed her stomach, grimacing as her gut did a nauseating flip. How much longer was she going to feel ill? She just hoped everything would stay down . . .

"Here ya go, Naoto." She looked up as Rise entered the room holding an instant noodle bowl in each hand. "You like fried tofu, right?"

"Oh, I-" she stammered, taking the bowel Rise handed to her. "I'm actually not hungry at the moment."

Her words went unheeded as Rise tore the lid from her own bowel and the smell of yakisoba assaulted her nose. A hand flew to her mouth, causing Rise's eyes to widen as Naoto's stomach rebelled violently. "Naoto! Are you okay?" Naoto didn't answer as she reached for a small trashcan beside her desk. "Gah! Naoto-kun!" Rise placed the bowl on her dresser before dropping beside the small detective. She grimaced at the sound for retching, feeling somewhat nauseated herself as she rubbed her back. "Geez, what's gotten into you?"

Several minutes passed before Naoto had a chance to gasp and catch her breath. Rise sighed and shook her head. "Man, you really _are_ sick." She pressed her hand against Naoto's forehead, causing her to jerk slightly. "You don't have a fever . . . heh, maybe you're pregnant."

The small grin at her joke was instantly wiped from her face. She had expected that Naoto would not be amused by it either way, given how she was. What she hadn't been expecting is for her to freeze up, eyes wide and staring blankly as she somehow turned a shade paler than before. "N-Naoto-kun? Hey, I was just joking, right?" She forced a chuckle as she gritted her teeth, the uneasy twist of a smile not lasting long as the blue haired girl remained silent. "I-I mean, c'mon! You _can't_ be pregnant!" Naoto clenched her eyes shut, pressing her lips together and Rise felt a sick, heavy sensation swirl in her stomach. "Y-you're not . . . are you?"

"Rise-chan, I . . . ." Naoto took in a trembling breath. "I . . . I apologize, for . . . your trash can . . ."

"Huh? Oh, that." Rise blinked. "It's . . . don't worry 'bout it."

"I should clean this-"

"What? No, I'll . . ." Rise stood, cringing as her nose crinkled. "You rest. I'll do it."

-----

Rise returned shortly, having taken the ramen from the room as she took her trash bin to be cleaned. Her lips were narrowed into a peeved line as she paced about the floor, her movements flustered. "Okay, what is going on? I was _joking_! You were supposed to glare at me or tell me I'm an idiot! Not turn all deer-in-headlights on me!" The hands that flailed through the air as she spoke dropped to her sides when her shoulders sunk. She paced before where Naoto sat, collapsing into a cross legged position and grabbing her ankles. She leaned forward, voice barely above a whisper. "I promise, I won't tell anyone. It's just that . . . I mean, you can't . . ." she paused, glancing around as though someone were watching them. " . . . are you?"

Naoto bit her lip and glanced down at her clenched fists. Of course she had thought of telling her friends, but not so soon, and certainly not like this. She groaned inwardly and could feel Rise tense up. There was little point in lying and the idol had practically told herself. May as well come out with it . . .

She sighed, locking eyes with Rise before nodding slowly. "A-are you serious?" she squeaked, her eyes all but bulging from her skull. "You're seriously . . . did you take a test?!"

"Pink plus sign." Naoto mumbled. "That on top of my symptoms -"

"Oh man oh man!" Rise covered her mouth. "You're really pregnant!"

"Keep your voice down!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just . . . wh-what're we gonna do?" Rise's brows rose as her voice dropped down to a whisper. "Naoto-kun, w-who is the father?"

"This is, quite personal . . ." she said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Oh, yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be asking so many questions. It's not my business-"

"It's Kanji."

Rise blinked.

"Kanji-kun is the father."

"Ah, uh, of course he is! Who else would it be?" Rise sighed, knocking her knuckles against her forehead.

"You promised, Rise." She locked eyes with the girl sitting opposite, who stared back somewhat startled. "You won't tell anyone about this."

"_Of course_ I won't. But, shouldn't you tell Kanji? I mean – is that why you're here today?"

Naoto nodded. "I'm a bit apprehensive about how he'll take it . . ."

"Want me to go with you?"

Naoto blinked as she looked at her. Rise nodded. "If that's okay with you. I'm not going to tease him or anything. And I could always leave if things get too personal-"

"You seem rather insistent."

Rise jerked in surprise. The blunt statement was coupled with the detective's cool gaze and she felt her face flush. She rubbed her neck and looked away. "Oh, what am I saying? You probably want to go alone. This is pretty personal, after all."

"Indeed."

"I'm sorry, Naoto." She sighed and turned back towards her. "This is between you and Kanji. I shouldn't even know about this and here I am, getting in your business . . "

"No, it's all right." Naoto sighed, her eyes closing halfway. "I could've been more discreet. So long as this stays between us . . ."

"Hey, I promised, right?" Rise said, drawing an "X" over her chest. "Cross my heart. Not a word to anyone."

"I appreciate that." She smiled softly. "And, if it's not too much trouble - " she paused, bowing her head to stare the hands fidgeting in her lap. ". . . could you?"

"Of course," she smiled, leaning forward and placing a hand on hers. Startled, Naoto's head shot up, eyes wide and cheeks tinted a light pink, but she quickly relaxed and returned the smile with a gracious nod.

-----

A/N: I'm experimenting with a new writing style. I, well, have mixed feelings. But for now I just wanna write this story. See how things play out from here. Anyway, please review.


	3. I'm Pregnant

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Hopefully the next chapter will be less disappointing. BTW, tomorrow (4/27) is Naoto's birthday. Just thought I'd mention that. :P

In Me It Shows

Chapter 3: I'm Pregnant

The muscular teen sat cross legged at his work bench in his room, intimidating eyes honed on the plush kitten in his hands as he stitched its head securely to its body. The rush had finally died down after what felt like forever. What the hell was that about anyway? True that his dolls were very popular but had everyone in Inaba decide to have a birthday or something they had to buy the toys for all at once? Whatever . . .

Kanji hissed, narrowly avoiding pricking his thumb on the needle when a knock at the door caused him to jump. "Kanji? You in there?"

_Rise?_ Kanji blinked. "Kinda busy here. Whaddya want?"

"You're not too busy to talk to your girlfriend, are you?"

He blinked again, a brow arching in confusion. "You're . . . not my girlfriend . . ."

"No. but Naoto is. Speaking of which . . ." Rise's voice faded ever so slightly as she turned away from the door. " . . she's welcome to speak up anytime she wants."

Kanji set his work down as he heard a soft stammer from the hallway. Rise turned to face the door again. "Seriously, let us in. This is important."

"Door's open."

Kanji watched as a surprisingly stone face idol entered with an exhausted looking detective filing in right behind her. Naoto's eyes were downcast and half closed, her face looking a shade too pale to be healthy. "H-hey. You feelin' okay?"

Naoto jerked slightly at his question, eyes fluttering as they locked with his. "Oh . . . yes, I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

That drew a start from both girls. They shared a brief glance before sitting across from Kanji, their faces softening in unease as they looked back to him. This . . . hardly made him feel comfortable and things did not get better in the thick silence that followed. It trickled along agonizingly, the sounds from the shopping district a subtle backdrop to the uncomfortable shifts the teens made as they tried to break it. Naoto tried to speak at one point, opening her mouth slightly before her teeth clenched and she placed a hand on her stomach. Rise looked at her, cooing under her breath and rubbing her back as the bluenette's brows knitted in pain.

Kanji sighed as he looked sympathetically at the small girl. Naoto was sick, that much was obvious. Lately she'd been so tired, barely ate anything and throwing up almost every day despite it. He was tempted to smack her upside the head. She needed to rest. At this rate she was never going to recover. She had already fainted once at school and had been ill for . . .

_Oh shit._

Kanji felt a shiver run down his back. He quickly glanced between the two girls as fear welled up in his chest. She'd been sick for entirely too long. Too long for it to be something she could recover from with just rest and . . . oh God. Was this why they came to talk to him? "Y-you guys gonna tell me what this is about?"

Naoto looked at Rise, her face still twisted in a grimace as the idol nodded. She took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Kanji-kun," she started. "I'm sure you're aware that I haven't been feeling too well lately."

"Yeah, I noticed." He mumbled gruffly.

"Well, there were a few other . . . symptoms . . . that you don't know about. I had reason to believe I had . . . ." she bit her lip and dropped her gaze.

Kanji felt his throat tighten at that. "W-what? What're you sayin'? What 'other symptoms'?"

"Um . . . I'm late . . ."

"Late?" His brow arched. "The hell you talkin' 'bout?"

"Naoto-kun, you should probably just tell him."

She glanced at Rise and she nodded firmly. Naoto returned the gesture as she turned back to her boyfriend. There was a brief pause in which he saw her tense up, her hands fidgeting in her lap despite the cool gaze she locked his eyes with. She took a breath, her lips pursing in clear reluctance to speak, but without hesitation the words came out, barely above a whisper.

"I'm pregnant."

----

A/N: Urk . . . I think I'm failing as far as characterization goes. Please – honest opinions. Your feedback will be helpful. Please review.


	4. Not Easy

A/N: Sorry for the wait! I had a rather bad case of writer's block and I had to (fail) study for a medical terminology exam. But this chapters longer so I hope that makes up for it.

In Me It Shows

Chapter 4: Not Easy

He didn't ask her to repeat herself. Didn't stammer uncontrollably, start screaming or faint – though he certainly looked as though he could pass out at any moment.

Naoto and Rise shared an uneasy glance. The look of complete and utter shock on Kanji's face was to be expected. Rather, what preoccupied the girls was that he had fallen silent and remained that way for several minutes, face pale and eyes all but bulging from his skull, staring straight ahead but not at either one of them. "Oh man. Do you think he's okay?" Rise asked, to which Naoto bit her lip, watching silently as her friend leaned over the table.

"Kanji?" Rise called, waving a hand in front of his face. "Hey, Kanji! You still with us?" He only blinked at her efforts, his eyes still unfocused as she sat back down with a sigh. "He's totally out of it. Should we splash him with cold water?"

"I don't think that would help . . ." Naoto mumbled. She was only vaguely aware of her restless fidgeting, not bothering or caring to suppress it as she looked back at the young man across from them. How much longer was he going to be like this? She expected this type of reaction from him, but it had been nearly ten minutes. Perhaps under different circumstances she would have been impressed at Kanji's ability to remain absolutely still. Had someone entered the room at that point, they might have mistaken him as a mannequin. One that had seen something quite unpleasant that is. One would then be lead to wonder what type of clothes line would want to model on something gaping like a bug-eyed gold fish, but all Naoto cared about was why said gaping fish had not spoken.

Yes, it was shocking news. Yes, it was unexpected, but would it kill him to say something? Something. _Anything_.

"Oh . . . shit . . ."

Well, that was a _little_ more like it . . .

The color had returned to Kanji's face as he took a deep breath. His eyes were still swollen in shock, but at least they were focused now, glancing at the blue haired girl as they blinked rapidly. "Oh shit." He repeated on a shallow breath. "Shit shit shit!"

"Um, I should leave, shouldn't I?"

"That would probably be for the best." Naoto did not even look at Rise as she replied, but the idol nodded knowingly, placing a hand on the detective's shoulder before standing up.

"Good luck. I'll be outside." She quickly departed with that, the sound of the door closing behind her locking the two that remained in with the oppressing tension. Kanji appeared to be a bit more composed. At the very least his breathing had evened out and he was no longer spewing obscenities. Naoto almost wished he was. His eyes had were still wide and locked with her own, and in the silence, they appeared almost pleading. Pleading for what? She wasn't sure, but her uneasy mind filled the blanks in a less that reassuring fashion.

'_Why?'_

'_Why did you do this?'_

'_Why'd you betray me?'_

Ridiculous. He couldn't seriously be thinking like that. But the look he gave her . . . . she gritted her teeth. She could interpret the thoughts of criminals, begin piecing together their patterns based on scant evidence, but her own boyfriend – the first and only she'd been intimate with – was a mystery to her. Her ineptitude outside of detective work was frustrating, but she could be embarrassed by that later. Right now, she needed to know, straight and upfront. "Kanji-kun . . ." Speaking was uncomfortable, but Naoto did not think she could withstand another long period of silence. Still, the words were difficult to get out and she had to close her eyes to continue. "Kanji, please . . . I . . ."

"Are you serious?"

She opened her eyes, hoping to catch something telling in his expression. Little had changed, save for his parted lips, but at least he was talking.

"Y-you're serious, right? 'Cuz if this is a joke, it ain't funny . . ."

"No, Kanji, I wouldn't joke about something of this nature."

"Oh . . . shit."

"Kanji-kun." Her mouth twisted uneasily. She felt a restless churning rise in her stomach – not a nauseas one – but rather acidic boiling. The clenched fists resting on her knees flinched in response and she took a breath. "I need you to say something."

Kanji blinked. ". . . say something?"

"Yes."

"I . . . uh . . ." He looked away, his wide eyes finally relaxing and allowing his eyelids to droop as he rubbed the back of his neck. Naoto took in his movements, but remained unsure of how to interpret them, so instead focused on his next breath. "I. . dunno what to say . . ."

She swallowed. "Then, talk to me." He looked back at her. "Please. Just . . . talk to me."

Regretfully, talking was the last thing to happen. The two were again locked in their staring match, each one fidgeting and opening his or her mouth to speak before closing it with a sigh. The quiet went on for a long time, minutes seamlessly bleeding together so much that when Kanji slowly got to his feet it caused a start in Naoto. No, it wasn't that. It was his eyes. For the first time since breaking the news, they were looking away from her.

Her throat clenched as he started to walk, his steps slow and unsteady, but undoubtedly taking him towards the door. Or at least they had been until his feet changed direction and took him towards her. Naoto didn't move, craning her neck to look up at him as he stepped behind her and slowly lowered himself to the floor. She looked over her shoulder, unsure of what he was doing -

"Eh!" She gasped, startled as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She looked down at his hands, which were pressed against her stomach as he carefully pulled her into his lap. He placed his chin atop her head before she could try craning her neck to look back at him.

"Guess we're gonna need to buy diapers and baby clothes and shit like that . . ."

She blinked, her eyes widening as they fluttered. "Kanji-kun?"

"I mean, if you're gonna keep it, that is. Do you wanna keep it?"

She gaped slightly. "You . . you're serious about seeing this through?"

"Tch, are you a dumbass?"

Naoto's brow twitched as an angry vein on her temple throbbed. "I beg your pardon?"

"_Yes_, I'm serious. Geez . . ." Kanji grunted. Though she couldn't see his face, Naoto got the feeling that he was pouting ever so slightly. Unsure of whether to feel relieved, exasperated, or both she was so wrapped in her thoughts that she jumped at the touch of his fingers on her cheek.

"K . . .Kanji-kun?" She stammered.

"I gotta admit, I'm kinda freakin' the hell out right now . . . but I ain't goin' nowhere." His voice was softer that time. Calmer, devoid of the irate tone from before as he continued stroking her cheek with a feather light touch. She would have been surprised how gentle his rough and calloused hands were had she not felt them before.

"Kanji-kun . . ." she sighed.

"So . . . you know what you wanna do?"

She looked down at the hand that remained wrapped around her stomach and placed hers upon it. "I . . . only found out yesterday. I haven't had a lot of time to think about it and I wanted to talk to you before I started m-making plans."

"Well, whatever you decide, I'm stickin' with ya, cuz, you know . . . 's my kid too, right?"

"Which means you should have a voice in this as well." She gently brushed his knuckles with her index finger. "You sound as though you want to keep it."

"Wha?!" Kanji exclaimed with a startled twitch. "I . . . no! Well . . . I mean, yeah. I mean . . . dammit!" he sighed. "I just . . . figured you already decided and . . . I . . . wanna help . . ."

"I know, but I've made no decisions yet. What do you want to do, Kanji?"

"Dunno." He sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "But really, I think you should choose. You're the one that's pregnant."

Naoto shook her head. Rather, she shook her head as best she could given it was currently tucked under Kanji's chin. "No, Kanji. It's _our_ child. I want us to make a decision. Together."

"Right. Together." Kanji parroted. He wrapped his free arm around her once more, nearly enveloping both of her small hands under his one. Her stomach was still flat for the time being and he wondered how long it would be before she began to show. He creased his brow and moved to rest his chin on her shoulder as he held her closer to his chest. Sheesh, Naoto was _tiny_. Not that he hadn't noticed before but it seemed almost surreal to think that a . . . _baby_ was inside of her. His at that. He knew almost nothing about pregnancy – he figured he'd never need to learn about it and what guy would want to anyway? But like it or not, he was about to get a first hand crash course.

He groaned inwardly. "This . . . is not gonna be easy."

-----

A/N: I hope I didn't go to fluffy on this. I'm rather pleased with how it turned out considering I had to re-write some dialog and about half the chapter. Hehe, but at least I'm getting a bit more comfortable with the characters. Anyway, please review! They are much appreciataed.


	5. Uncertainty

In Me It Shows

Chapter 5: Uncertainty

Animal crackers were the perfect comfort food. Sweet but not too sweet, they had just the right amount of crunch to them and appealing shapes to boot. They contained poly and mono unsaturated fats so they had a _slight_ healthy quality to them and were good with or without milk. It was fortunate that Kanji always had an ample supply of them.

Two boxes lay open on the table. Rise was quickly making work of the one she'd been offered. Naoto suggested that she and Kanji could use a mediator of sorts and she was more than happy to help in any way she could. She wasn't really sure what she could do, but as she glanced at the uneasy pair in between bites, it was apparent that an outside voice of any kind would help. At the very least it would get things started. The quiet was unsettling. "So, you guys don't know what you're going to do yet?"

The two looked over at her, giving a quiet sigh in unison as Naoto shook her head. "I feel conflicted. On one hand, Kanji-kun and I acted irresponsibly. I feel that we should own up to our actions and take responsibility." She paused, pursing her lips as she lowered her eyes. "But . . . is raising the child really for the best?"

"We're still in high school and I dunno shit about bein' a dad." Kanji muttered as he fumbled a zebra in his fingers.

"I don't know how to be a mother either. I think it's fair to say we're not ready to be parents."

They again fell silent at that, Kanji nervously tapping his animal cracker on the table while Naoto stared blankly at her lap. Rise snapped a rhino's head off with her teeth, tapping what remained of the cookie against her chin. "So, you're going to give it up for adoption?" she asked.

Naoto didn't look up, her eyes looking slightly glazed as she spoke. "Logically speaking, that would probably be in the child's best interest, but . . ."

"Ain't that guy on the basketball team adopted?" Kanji said. "Uh . . . what's his name?"

"Ichijo-senpai? Yes, he is."

"Well, he seems pretty happy." Kanji paused to swallow. "Maybe . . . maybe we should . . ." He trailed off, looking a hint crestfallen as he look away.

"I don't know." Naoto murmured, her mouth twisting uneasily. "Many children never get adopted. We can't be sure that ours will find a home, let alone a good one. That uncertainty . . . is unsettling."

Kanji turned back with a hiss. "Dammit, this sucks! How the hell're we supposed to know what to do?"

"Hey hey!" Rise held up her hands. "Guys, it's kinda early to decide, don't you think? I mean you just found out."

The pair looked back at her, their anxiety somewhat lessened as they breathed. "You have a point. We should sit on this for a while." Naoto said, Kanji nodding numbly at her words.

"Yeah." Rise smiled, pleased with her work as she nodded back. They were still nervous, and justifiably so, but at least she had calmed them down. Now she could direct their attention to a more pressing matter. "Right now our top priority should be getting you healthy, Naoto-kun."

Naoto blinked. "Healthy?"

"Well, yeah." Rise shrugged. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? No offense, but you look terrible. And . . . hmm." The idol cupped her chin and narrowed her eyes in scrutiny. She leaned in, causing the bluenette to shuffle back slightly.

"R-Rise? What are you-?"

"You're looking a little thinner than usual." Rise cut in, emphasizing her point with a quick poke to her side.

"Eh! Hey!" Naoto gasped, wrapping her arms around her torso as she keeled forward. Rise's eyes fluttered in surprise, her mouth gaping before she gave the detective a reprimanding glare.

"Naoto, you're supposed to be _gaining_ weight, not losing it."

A crimson blush stained Naoto's cheeks as she lowered her head. "Um . . . it . . . it's not as though I'm not trying. I just can't seem to keep anything down . . ."

"Well ya gotta eat _something_." Kanji pressed. "Try one of these." He pushed his box of snacks towards her only to be stopped when Rise placed her hand upon it.

"Hold on. Can pregnant women eat animal crackers?" Rise looked between her friends in hopes that one of them had more knowledge on the dietary restrictions of pregnancy than she. Sure, she had seen television shows and movies on the subject at hand, but the details eluded her and from the looks of it, the same was said for them. Kanji had not even thought about it, offering only a shrug where as Naoto slowly shook her head. She sighed and sunk back to her seat. No sooner had she done that did she perk up again, as though a light bulb had illuminated over her head.

"Oh! I know! Let's go online and see what Mama-to-be here can and can't eat." She said, giving the girl in question a pat on the shoulder as she rose to her feet.

Naoto's blush deepened. "P-please don't call me that!" She hunched forward even more so as Rise side-stepped her, plopping down at Kanji's desk to search for information.

"Hey, don't mess up my settings or nothin'!"

"I'm _not_! I'm just doing a Google search! Sheesh . . ."

Kanji shook his head as he got to his feet as well and moved to take the empty spot next to Naoto. He placed a hand on her back and began rubbing it soothingly. "You okay?"

She peaked up at him from her hunched position. "I'm fine. It's just . . . I'm overwhelmed."

"Tch, I hear ya." He sighed. "But we'll be 'lright, yeah?"

"Yes. We will." She smiled, relaxing under his touch as her blush began to abate. "Rise brought up a good point though. I hadn't put a lot of consideration towards my own health. Now, more than ever, I'll need to start taking better care of myself."

"Yeah, 'specially since yer eatin' for two now."

Naoto's blush returned with a vengeance and she bowed her head, stammering. "I-in any case, I should schedule a doctor's appointment."

"Good idea." Kanji nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, to which she closed her eyes and rested her head on his arm. "First things first – you need food. I ain't lettin' ya starve to death."

"Kanji-kun, I am hardly about to starve to death." Naoto sighed.

"Always gotta take things so literally . . ." Kanji shook his head, then looked over to his desk. "Whaddya got, Rise?"

"Awe! This is sooooo cute!"

The two looked up at the idol in confusion as she swiveled around in the chair to face them. "This one woman told her husband she was pregnant by getting him a little baby bib that said "I love you, Daddy" on it and putting it in his brief case! So adorable!"

Naoto and Kanji blinked at the squealing girl before a vein started to throb on the latter's forehead. "_Focus _Rise. I got mouths to feed, dammit."

Rise blink, sweatdropping as she chuckled. "Oh, right. Food." She blushed, turning back to the computer as they sighed.

-----

A/N: Okay, I know it's five chapters in and there's no mention of Naoto breaking the news to her grandfather, but it's coming. I assure you. Also, forgive me for the lame chapter titles. That's not always been my strong point.


	6. Butterfly

In Me It Shows

Chapter 6: Butterfly

"Your vitals and blood pressure are good, but you're still a little underweight. I know you probably don't have much of an appetite due to the morning sickness, but you've really got to try and eat a balanced diet."

"I understand."

The auburn haired doctor removed the cuff from Naoto's arm. She hung it on the wall along with the other medical equipment and picked up the patient file, quickly charting the numbers from the physical. Naoto had heard that Dr. Ami Tsukimori was the best OBGYN in Inaba. Not that she had any to compare her to or that the doctor had much competition in such a small town, but there had to be truth to what she'd heard. She was a no-nonsense woman, getting straight down to business yet still being able to hone in on and ease the teen's anxieties, if even only a little. She had even managed to calm Kanji down. He had mixed feelings about whether or not he wanted to go with Naoto to her appointment and she certainly was not about to force him. The idea of it made _her_ feel uncomfortable enough. She could only imagine what it must be like for a guy, but in the end he had wanted to be with her – though he did have to step out a few times for his own sake.

"You need prenatal vitamins and I'm giving you a dietary guide." Tsukimori said, casually pointing her pen at Naoto as she spoke. "You need to be very careful about what you eat. Try to eat five hundred calories more than you normally do per day."

Naoto nodded. "I'll try."

The woman returned the nod then looked over to Kanji. "And it'll be your duty to make sure your girlfriend is well fed."

"Huh?!" Kanji blushed. "Oh, uh, yeah . . . I-I can do that."

Dr. Tsukimori smiled. "Good. Now . . . you're about six weeks along so we should be able to see it."

They both perked up at that. "See it?" Naoto blinked.

"Mhmm." The doctor nodded as she pulled down an overhead monitor. "Lower your pants and lift your shirt."

Both teens blushed furiously at that, the doctor herself too busy with her equipment to as much as look at them, but she must have sensed their embarrassment for she continued, "I'm not asking you to get undressed. Just push your waistband down a little, lift your shirt and lean back."

"Um . . . o-okay." Naoto stammered, but complied, though Kanji still looked away with a beet red face. By this time Tsukimori had finished setting up the machine and pulled a stool to the bed. "Get the lights, please Tatsumi-san."

"Yeah, sure." He did so, leaving the room in a subtle blue glow as the doctor squirted a glob of gel onto Naoto's exposed belly. She rested her head on the examination table, unable to keep from squirming as she felt the wand slowly massage her stomach. Kanji watched her expression in concerned as he walked back to her side. "You okay?"

"Yes. It just . . . mmph! It feels odd . . ."

"Sorry about that. Just let me know if it gets too uncomfortable." Tsukimori said, to which Naoto simply nodded. The next few minutes were spent in silence as the doctor did her scan. To his credit, Kanji had tried to watch the screen, but to him everything just looked like incoherent shapes and he found it impossible to follow along. Instead he turned his attention back to Naoto, who was also not watching the screen. Rather, she was staring at the ceiling above, her eyes lost in thought. Frowning, Kanji took hold of her hand, effectively startling her from her daze. Her eyes fluttered as they met his, but then she smiled and earned a grin from him in return.

"Ah! There you are!"

Naoto and Kanji glanced up in surprise. The doctor watched the monitor intently, rubbing the wand in tiny circles on Naoto's lower belly before looking back at them, smiling as she tapped the screen. "There's your baby."

Both of their mouths dropped open. Their wide eyes all but stared at the tiny spot under Tsukimori's finger. "T-th . . . that's the kid?!" Kanji stammered. "H-how can ya tell? Just looks like a buncha grey shapes to me."

Tsukimori chuckled. "I hear that a lot. I've been doing this for years. Trust me," she paused to tap the screen again. "This is your child."

". . . oh." Kanji muttered, at a loss as to what else to say. It did just look like a mess of colorless blobs but as he continued to stare at the one she pointed out, it started to look more . . . distinct? This was too weird. He shook his head and looked over to Naoto. She was completely silent, lips parted in a tiny gape as she watched the screen. He said nothing at first, only squeezing her hand gently, knowing well that she was feeling just as overwhelmed as him if not more so, but her persistent silence and slow, deep breathing was starting to make him restless. "Naoto? You 'lright?"

She did not acknowledge him. Pursing her lips as she gulped, she took in another breath before finally speaking, eyes glued to the screen all the while. "That fluttering . . . . what is it?"

"Oh, this?" Tsukimori looked back at the screen, dragging a marquee around the shape with the mouse. It was only then that Kanji noticed it – a light pulsating within the blob that was their baby. "That," the doctor smiled. "is the heart."

Kanji could've sworn he felt his skin grow a shade paler. He was gaping again, his eyes bulging and threatening to fall from their sockets. Feeling Naoto's hand tremble in his, he looked over at her. Though her mouth was only dropped in a more reserved, petite gape, she was clearly every bit as shocked as he, her eyes fluttering as she struggled to speak. "I-It . . . it has a heart beat?"

Tsukimori nodded. "It sure does. In another six weeks or so you should be able to hear it."

Naoto took a long, slow breath, closing her eyes as she lowered herself back on the exam table.

Kanji blinked, startled. "N-Naoto? Hey!"

"She's okay. She's probably just shocked. Aren't you?" Kanji bit his lip and looked back at the doctor. He said nothing as the woman nodded and turned back to the monitor. "Everything's coming along nicely but I'd like to have you both back here in two weeks for a follow up. That is if you're willing to come along again."

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'll come . . ."

"Good. Let me print this out for you and you'll be set to go."

Kanji simply nodded before turning his attention back to Naoto. He pushed up the brim of her hat and stroked her bangs, frowning somewhat as she remained silent with her eyes closed. But he continued tending to her as Tsukimori wiped the gel off Naoto's belly, turned the lights back on and got everything together for them. Her hand eventually squeezed his in the midst of it and he squeezed it back, sighing lightly as there was no change in her face. He continued stroking her forehead with his thumb, pausing only to brush all her bangs back as he leaned in and kissed her. He felt her drowsily return the kiss, her lips soft against his, and when he pulled back she was slowly blinking her eyes open.

She wasn't smiling.

Neither was he.

"Shirogane-san, are you feeling okay?"

Naoto blinked over to the doctor as she approached the bed and nodded numbly. "I . . . I'm okay." She murmured. Whereas Kanji only frowned more at her words, the doctor offered a sympathetic smile. "It's overwhelming, I know, but try not to let it get to you too much. I've got everything set for you so you can leave when you're ready. Feel free to call me anytime if you have any questions."

Naoto only nodded as she sat up, remaining silent as the doctor left the two of them. She swung her feet over the edge of the table and kept her head bowed low as she sat. Her hair and the brim of her hat hid her eyes completely and her breathing remained slow and deep, both perturbing Kanji greatly. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, reaching out to stroke her cheek. He only felt her soft skin for a brief moment before she shuddered abruptly and he pulled his hand back as though it were burned. His eyes widened, watching as the shaking of her body stopped just as suddenly as it had began. She took a shuddered breath and looked away. "I want to get out of here."

"Y-yeah. Let's go." Kanji said, squeezing her hand a little more. He was surprised, though, when she all but clutched his hand in return, keeping her head down as she slid off of the table. He swallowed his shock, keeping her close to him as he gathered up the papers Dr. Tsukimori had left and lead her from the office.

Neither one said a word.

-----

A/N: Have patience – Naoto will get to start fretting about how to break the news to Grampa soon enough. In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who has left a review. I really and truly appreciate each one, so keep them comin' please! I look forward to hearing from you all.


	7. Secrets

A/N: Please forgive me on the delay with this chapter. I've been busy with work, my shift at the hospital, getting accepted to medical school (yay me ^_^) and SMT: Devil Summoner. Seriously, that game is so addictive.

In Me It Shows

Chapter 7: Secrets

By an unspoken agreement the pair retreated to the hill overlooking the town. The day care was thankfully closed that day and no one was around to disturb them as they settled under the gazebo. The silence between them was driving Kanji mad, but each time he opened his mouth to end it, he found his throat dry on words. He growled quietly for the umpteenth time as he continued to run his fingers through Naoto's hair. She herself hadn't even attempted to say a word since leaving the doctor's office though now she was perfectly still on top of that, save for her breathing. Had she fallen asleep?

Kanji looked down at Naoto. Her head was settled on his lap, eyes closed, her hat removed and resting on her stomach while both of her hands were clasped upon it. She certainly seemed asleep, but no, her breathing was a bit too fast for that. She was lost in thought, a trance nearly as deep as slumber and Kanji was not about to disturb her, though he wished she would just tell him what was wrong. Her persistent silence was really starting to worry him.

"It has a heartbeat."

Her voice was quiet and controlled but the abruptness was enough to startle him. The lack of any change in her expression was another point of concern, but at least she was speaking. "Yeah. Kid's growin' a lot faster than I expected." Kanji mumbled as he continued to stroke her hair. Her eyes blinked open at that and locked with his, holding his gaze for a brief moment as she sighed. "Whas' wrong?" he asked.

She bit her lip. Her head rolled slightly as she turned away from him to stare at the autumn leaves that fluttered in the wind. Her jaw clenched, relaxing only when she gave another heavy sigh. "When I saw it, it was as though the whole magnitude of this situation came crashing down on me. It was one thing to see the positive test result, but to have actually seen it . . . seen the heart beating . . . this is _real_." Her fingers clenched, crinkling her hat in her grasp. "I'm really going to be bringing someone into the world . . . and it scares me."

"You ain't the only one." He cupped her cheek and gently brought her gaze back to him. "This is a big deal. It's 'lright to be scared."

"Are you afraid?" she whispered, to which he nodded.

"Scared shitless. But ya got me. Everything'll be fine."

Naoto sighed. "It was easier to think that before . . ."

"Does it make it any less true?"

"Kanji-kun, I – I don't think we fully understood what we were dealing with at the time. I have feeling things are only going to get worse -"

"Don't say that!" Kanji snapped. "Things ain't gonna get worse. We just . . ." He let out a gruff scoff and roughly combed his hand through his hair. "Look, we're both kinda freaked out right now. Let's just give it a few days to sink in and we'll be able to think clearly again.

Naoto closed her eyes, resigning herself with a soft breath. "You may be right."

"Kanji! Naoto-kun!"

They both looked up at the voice. Hurried footsteps accompanied it and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath them grew louder. Naoto sat up and put her hat back on, both watching as Rise ran up to the gazebo. She waved to them as she approached, clasping her school bad behind her as she stopped before them. "I had a feeling you guys would be here. How'd everything go?" She grinned, but only briefly as the solemn looks on their faces caused it to slide from her face. "Hey, what's wrong?" She looked expectantly between the two of them and grew tense at their silence. "C'mon, you guys are scaring me."

"There's nothing exactly _wrong_, Rise-chan." Naoto started. "We just had a surprise today."

"A surprise?" Rise blinked. "A good one I hope."

"Well - we got to see the baby on the ultrasound today."

Rise's eyes widened. "You did?"

"Yes. We . . . have a picture." Naoto numbly reached in her school bag and shuffled through the various papers within. It was clear by her limp movements that she was thoroughly lost and overwhelmed. Kanji only watched, a similar feeling welling within him as she took the print out from the ultrasound, staring at it with a glazed expression before handing it to Rise. The idol sat down beside her and smiled lightly at the picture in her hands. "So this is the little guy . . . or girl." She said, but frowned, her eyes narrowing as she brought the picture closer to her face. "It's too bad you can't really tell what it looks like."

"Ain't there some drawings in that book the doc gave us?" Kanji said.

"Oh, I believe so." Naoto blinked, reaching back into her school bag. "Let me see." A few moments of fishing later produced the book in question. It was elaborate, rather thick, detailing the stages of pregnancy week by week, and a far cry from something Naoto actually wanted to read. Kanji had given the book a quick skim through while at the doctor's office but she turned away. Her body had been through quite enough changes as far as she was concerned. The last thing she wanted was to see everything she was to experience written out in detail before her – as though it were some sort of twisted prophecy.

The rational part of her reminded her that she'd need to read it eventually, that she'd need to be aware of everything she was going through and what to expect down the line if she and the child were to be healthy. With a sigh to choke back her reluctance, she opened the book and browsed to the chapter which pertained to her current stage.

Week six; fetal age four weeks – and taking up an entire page was a detailed picture of a fetus in that very stage.

"It looks kinda like a salamander."

Naoto blinked, raising a brow as she looked at Rise. "Salamander?"

"A _cute_ salamander, I mean." She smiled. "Oh hey, look." She pointed to a tiny picture in the lower corner of the page. Though it lacked detail due to its size, it was clearly a much smaller version of the large sketch on the page with the words "Actual Size" printed beside it. Rise pinched her fingers around the picture, cooing as it was easily the size of a pea, if not smaller. "Wow, it's so tiny. Doesn't seem like it'd be this small on the ultrasound."

Kanji nodded, adding , "Yeah – we even got to see the kid's heart beatin'."

"No way! Really?!" Rise gaped, to which Naoto found herself chuckling. The expression on her face was something else and she wondered if that was how she and Kanji had looked at the time. They way she had felt, however, that was something she didn't think she'd ever forget and before she knew it, she was whispering, "My own heart was pounding the entire time."

Surprised by her own words, she blinked her eyes open, only then realizing she had allowed them to close. Her eyes fluttered as she looked back down at the book in her hands before quickly tearing her gaze away from it, feeling an odd twinge in her chest all the while.

"Awe, you must be falling in love." Rise cooed suddenly and Naoto gave her a confused look. "You know – with your salamander."

Naoto swallowed hard at that, looking down as her fingers lightly brushed her stomach. ". . . you may be right."

-----

This never happened. Naoto _never_ just let Kanji walk her home. Not without at least a little protesting on her part. She would usually give in, with a sigh, or roll of her eyes, sometimes even with a small smile but always looking pleased despite the fuss she made about it. On rare occasions she would even slip her hand into his or lean ever so slightly against his arm as they walked.

Today when he had said he would be walking her home, he mentally prepared for her resistance, but was surprised when she answered him with a nod. They had since parted ways with Rise and everything was gathered back in her school bag so she simply stuck close to him as they continued to walk in silence. She made no noise of protest or contentment when he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, but he could tell she appreciated the gesture by the way her body relaxed and her head rested against his arm. This was notably more comfortable than their walk from the doctor's office, but the tension was still there and clung to them right to the moment they arrived at the gates of the estate.

The arm that had been wrapped around her waist slipped away as they turned to face each other. Kanji rubbed the back of his neck, looking away briefly. "So, you feelin' better?"

"A little." She murmured, and truth be told that she was sounding a bit uplifted from earlier, but the somber tone was on her breath all the same as was the downcast look in her eyes and Kanji frowned.

"Try not to think so much 'bout it."

She scoffed. "Easier said than done."

"Yeah . . ." Kanji continued to rub his neck. "Call me if you need to talk or somethin'."

"I'll be sure to."

"Good." He nodded, tilting up her chin as he leaned down to kiss her. For that moment the downcast look in her eyes left as she closed them. They parted slowly, Kanji playfully brushing a tuft of her blue bangs back as he looked at her. "See ya tomorrow."

She nodded with a small smile. "Good bye, Kanji." He squeezed her hand, returning the grin as he gently allowed her fingers to slip from his. Naoto stayed as he turned to leave and watched his retreating form for a while before she entered her yard with a sigh. She felt beyond exhausted, no doubt due to the changes in her body, but the surprise from earlier that afternoon hadn't helped either. She entered her home, slipping off her shoes and covering her mouth as she yawned. A nap was sounding very good at the moment. It would certainly get her mind off of her situation. With that in mind she headed for the stairs, the thought of collapsing on her bed growing more enticing with each step.

"Welcome back, Shirogane-sama. What have you been up to?"

She choked back a gasp as she jumped. She whirled around, only now noticing her grandfather's secretary, Yakushiji, in the corridor. She let out a breath and willed her heart to calm from the mild start he had given her. "Good afternoon, Yakushiji-san. I apologize for not coming home right away, but I was studying with my friends in the library. We have exams in a few weeks."

He smiled. "That's quite all right, no need to apologize. I only hope you worked up an appetite. I've prepared your favorite for dinner."

Naoto gulped. "My-my favorite?" This . . . was not good. Sushi – California Rolls to be specific – had been her favorite food since she was old enough to eat it. She never passed up an opportunity to enjoy it but as luck would have it, it was also on the "what mamas-to-be CAN'T eat" list. Turning it down would raise suspicion, no doubt, but it wouldn't be worth the risk. That aside, the mere mention of it turned her stomach. Hm, perhaps she could play on that . . .

"Forgive me, Yakushiji-san, but I've been feeling ill as of late. I don't think my stomach can handle it right now."

Yakushiji frowned. "You're still feeling ill? Perhaps you should see a doctor."

'_If only you knew, Yakushiji-san.'_ She sighed inwardly as she shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure this will pass on its own."

"But, Shironage-sama . . ."

"I'll be all right. Please excuse me. I need to rest." Without a single pause she continued up the stairs, though she felt badly about cutting him off. It wasn't polite after all. He would forgive her, she truly wasn't feeling well, and she could apologize later if necessary.

"Your grandfather's worried."

She stopped at that, halted more so by the tone of his voice than his actual words.

"He's noticed your recent weight loss and lack of appetite. He asked me to make your favorite tonight in hopes that you would eat something."

Naoto bit her lip and looked away. Her grandfather – how could she have forgotten? Of course he was worried. He had no idea. She would have to tell him eventually and . . . Naoto closed her eyes tightly as she grimaced. To say he would be disappointed would be an understatement, but how exactly would he react? Would he be ashamed? Horrified? Was it possible that he would even go as far as to disown her?

If Naoto hadn't lost her appetite before, she certainly had now, but she was being unfair. She had worried her grandfather and Yakushiji enough. It wouldn't hurt to eat a little something. Besides, the doctor told her she needed to gain weight. "May I have soup instead, Yakushiji-san?" She asked, to which he looked all too relieved. He nodded with a smile and turned to prepare her meal, though she pursed her lips, wondering just how she could possibly keep any of it down now.

-----

Dinner was not quite as uncomfortable as Naoto had expected. Her grandfather had kept an eye on her, no doubt to ensure that she was eating, but he had not questioned her on her behavior as of yet. For her part she had attempted to keep up a decent pace with her eating though she ended up staring at her soup and stirring it restlessly in between the few spoonfuls she ate. Should she just tell him now and get it over with? They were alone. Now would be as good a time as any. But how would she even begin to tell him?

"_Oh, hello Grampa. School went well today. By the way, I'm pregnant. Can you pass the butter, please?"_

Naoto barely stifled a groan as she pressed her lips into a thin line. Regardless of when and how she broke the news it sure to be was a disaster, but there had to be a way to soften the blow. Perhaps if she could somehow find the right way to tell him, he wouldn't be _too_ angry with her.

"What troubles you, Naoto?"

She jerked, startled by the sudden question. She met her grandfather's gaze, though only for a moment before she looked back at her barely eaten soup and murmured, "Nothing troubles me, Grampa. I'm just not feeling well."

"You never have such a deep and serious look about you when it's only illness. There is something bothering you."

She swallowed hard, saying nothing as she continued to stir her soup.

"I trust you're keeping your grades up."

"Of course."

"Then does this perhaps involve your relationship with Tatsumi-san?"

"Huh!?" Her head shot up, eyes wide as a deep blush spread over her face. "Uh . . . I . . .n-no, Grampa. It's nothing like that . . ." She bowed her head, taking shelter behind the brim of her hat as her grandfather chuckled.

"You always get so flustered when I mention that boy. I'm glad you've found someone who can make you happy."

'_I doubt you'll be so pleased when you find out I'm with his child.'_ She glumly returned to stirring her soup around, occasionally scooping up a spoonful only to overturn it and listen to it trickle back into the bowl. Her eyes clenched shut, unseen by her grandfather, as even her hat couldn't stop the feeling of his gaze upon her. There was silence as he waited for her to speak, but what should she say? She couldn't tell him, not now, and not like this. There was a better way, though she hadn't the foggiest as to _what_ that may be, but it didn't feel right to keep it a secret from him. Especially when his only drive for an answer from her was concern for her wellbeing.

He spared her a moment later with something that sounded like a resigned sight, but it was too quiet for her to tell. "If you don't wish to talk about it, then I won't press the issue, provided you start taking better care of yourself. You need to eat."

"Yes, I know." She murmured. "I apologize. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Just take care of yourself and be healthy in both body and mind, that's all I ask." He said, and she could almost feel his eyes soften. "And know that whatever may trouble you, you can always confide in me."

She cringed, biting tightly on her spoon to cope with the horrid feeling cutting through her. Though the gentle tone in his voice had always brought comfort, today it made her feel sick in knowing that he loved and trusted her, and she was about to break his heart.

". . .I know, Grampa."

-----

A/N: Again, I'm really sorry for the wait. I wasn't really sure what direction to take this chapter so I had to throw a few things at the wall to see what stuck. I'm actually a bit pleased with the way this turned out and I hope you all are too.

In regards to sushi - I've heard conflicting things regarding whether or not pregnant women should eat sushi. Some experts say to avoid it, others say a little here and there is all right. Some mothers have said that they ate sushi while pregnant with no negative effects on either themselves or their children. But that being said, for all intents and purposes in this story sushi is on the foods to avoid list – so please no reviews saying "I know someone who ate sushi while pregnant and nothing bad happened." Good, I'm glad nothing bad happened, but in this story eating sushi while pregnant is a negative. So if I'm somehow asking you to extend your belief for the purpose of the plot, I'll remind you that Persona 4 is about a group of teenagers that go inside a TV to fight monsters.

Okay, I didn't mean to drabble on that much about it. Again, my apologies for the wait and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.


	8. New

A/N: Also, my apologies for this chapter being a bit on the short side. I wanted to update before going on vacation next week, since I'll have no time to write and I wanted something to hold you guys over until I got back. So I decided to break this chapter up at bit and the next one may be a bit short as well. Please forgive me.

In Me It Shows

Chapter 8: New

Naoto had never really had a generalized stance on mornings in the sense that people who classified themselves as morning people or night owls would. Mornings were either good or bad, it depended on the day, but there was something about this one that made her wonder if it had a sort of passive vendetta against her. The weather was perfect; partly cloudy skies, cool breeze, clear sunshine and birds chirping about, though it felt as though the day was taunting her.

Refreshed and bursting with energy, this morning was a stark contrast to how she was feeling.

Her cap did little to contain the unruly, tangled locks of hair sticking out from underneath it. She could almost feel the dark circles under her eyes, which stung slightly at every blink. It was only by pure determination and stubbornness that she kept her fatigued body from slouching as she walked to school. It probably didn't matter that much. She was certain she looked like a wreck either way, which was only confirmed when Rise caught up with her.

"You okay, Naoto-kun? You don't look so good."

Naoto looked over to the idol as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm afraid I didn't get much sleep last night. Thanks to you I kept dreaming that I had a salamander swimming in my stomach."

Rise giggled. "Awe, but it was a _cute_ one, wasn't it?"

"Allegedly so. When it burst from my stomach Kanji-kun started cooing uncontrollably over it."

"Wow. Either you've watched Aliens one too many times or you and I need to have a serious discussion about inter-species relationships."

Naoto sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"But, you're okay otherwise, right? Aside from being tired? You look kinda . . ." Rise paused, titling her head as she looked her friend over. "You look nervous."

Naoto pulled her hand away from her face, meeting her gaze for a moment before casting her eyes to the ground. ". . . I have to tell my Grampa." She murmured.

Rise's brows lifted with a start. "Oh . . . yeah . . ." she mumbled, turning her focus on the ground as well. "How do you think he'll take it?"

"Not well. That much is certain."

"Well . . . maybe it won't be so bad." She looked back up with a small grin but Naoto only shook her head.

"You don't understand, Rise. My grandfather puts a lot of faith in me."

"Faith? What do you mean?"

"Being a detective can be dangerous. The murder case here wasn't the first one I had risked my life for, but Grampa never impedes on my work. He trusts me to keep my wits and stay safe, and now I have to tell him that his trust is ill-placed."

"Woah, overreacting much?" Rise gaped. "C'mon, risking your life for your job is a lot different than this. If I were him, I'd be more mad that you used yourself as bait for a serial killer."

"Ah, well-" Naoto paused, biting her lip lightly. "He . . . doesn't exactly know that I did that. Nor is he aware that we had spent a good part of last year going inside a TV to fight Shadows."

"Oh, tell him that first! That'll make the pregnancy seem like nothing in comparison."

"Rise. This is serious." Naoto growled, to which Rise gave her a disarming smile.

"I know, I know. Any ideas?"

She shook her head. "I have to find the right way to tell him, if such a thing exists. Either way, he's going to be upset, but if I can break it to him a certain way . . ." Naoto paused for a curt scoff as her eyes narrowed. "Though the more I think about it, the less it seems worth the effort. Regardless of how I direct the conversation, I'll have let him down by the end of it."

She felt a hand cup her chin and tilt her head up. The petite upturn of Rise's lips was accompanied with a gentle shake of her head, her chestnut pigtails swaying slightly as she did so. "You are being _way_ too hard on yourself. C'mon, you'll think of something." Rise released her light grip on Naoto's face, pinching her own chin for a moment as she pondered. "Hmm . . . I think I have an idea. Remember when I went online to see what kind of food you could eat, and I found that story about the woman telling her husband she was pregnant?"

Naoto glared. "I am _not_ going to put a bib in my grandfather's briefcase."

"No, I didn't mean like that." Rise sighed as a sweatdrop slid down her temple. "I mean, if there's sites about how wives tell their husbands that they're pregnant, then there's gotta be some about teens telling their parents. Maybe they can help you figure out how to break the news to him."

"Well, at the very least it'll give me something to work with." Naoto said, pausing for a moment as she lowered her voice. "Rise, I really don't want to think about this right now. Let's just drop it."

The idol said nothing, only offering a nod as they both continued in silence, though not for long. Two pairs of footsteps hurried up to them as they reached the flood plain and a cheery voice called their attention.

"Yo! Mornin'!"

Chie Satonaka and Yukiko Amagi stood behind them when they turned. "Ah, good morning, senpai." Naoto greeted with a nod, which was returned by both until the bob-haired girl slouched as if fatigued by the day already.

"Geez. The school year just started and exams are coming up already!" Chie grimaced. "Why do they do this to us?"

"Chie and I were thinking of heading over to Junes to study after school. Do you want to come with us?" Yukiko asked.

Naoto perked up inwardly. Exams. While the bane of many a students' existence they were just the thing for diving one's overwhelmed mind into. One woman's curse was another's blessing. That being the case, Naoto offered a small smile as she responded. "Yes, provided we actually get some studying done. Our usual study group attempts at the food court always seem to get derailed."

"Don't worry. I think Chie's a little more serious about school this year." The young inn heiress motioned to her friend with a grin.

"Ugh, why do you have to smirk like that?" she grumbled.

"So, is it gonna just be us girls?" Rise asked, to which Chie straightened up and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, Yosuke's working but Kanji can come if he wants. Where is he anyway? Doesn't he usually walk to school with you two?"

Before another word could be uttered a hurried set of footsteps could be heard bounding down the flood plain. Right on queue, Kanji himself ran by the group, having only enough time to utter a quick - "'Sup guys? See ya!" – before continuing his sprint to the school grounds with a large mass of fabric cradled in his arms. The girls were left speechless and blinking at the sight.

" . . . Kanji-kun . . . _running_ to school?" Yukiko finally muttered after a time. The others could only shrug before continuing on their way.

-----

The dismissal bell had rung several minutes ago and most of the students had gone home for the day, but Kanji and Naoto were walking side by side down the hallowed hall of the practice building, the former carrying a mound of fabric tucked under his arm.

"Man, I still can't believe you fell asleep in Kashiwagi's class without getting caught." He grinned, looking down at her as she sputtered in response.

"Please, Kanji-kun, stop speaking as though this is something admirable. It was highly inappropriate-"

"Oh c'mon! You're acting like that ol' hag had something important to say." He rolled his eyes. "You know if she's not spending half the time talkin' shit, she's spendin' the other half hittin' on the guys. If you were gonna fall asleep in any class you picked the right one to do it in."

Naoto lowered her head and blushed. "I hadn't _meant_ to fall asleep at all. I was just so exhausted . . . well, at least I'm well rested for our study group this afternoon." She looked at him, the pinkish hue on her cheeks quickly dissipating. "I really wish you could come. I'm concerned about your academic performance."

His brow twitched. "Hey! My grades ain't that bad! 'Sides, we got plenty of time to study later. No clubs next week."

That was true. Next week all school related activities would cease as a means to allow the students to study. This also meant there'd be no reason for Kanji to rush to school in the morning, cradling all his sewing supplies and fabrics. It couldn't have been helped. It wasn't until he woke up that morning that he remembered the sewing club was meeting after school. It was certainly a nice thing to see though. The image of her boyfriend showing that much gusto in getting to school was something Naoto wished she could see more often, without him just narrowly avoiding a tardy that is, but she knew better than to get her hopes up.

To his credit he was doing a lot better in school. That's really all she could ask of him. Though now he seemed distracted, running a hand through his hair as he looked away. "I don't get how you can even think about school."

Naoto shrugged. "It's a nice distraction. The exams couldn't have come at a better time."

"Says you."

She smiled, shaking her head gently as they arrived at the sewing room. Even with just a brief glance through the small window she could see it was filled to near capacity. No one had expected Kanji's sewing classes to be as popular as they were. He was more surprised than anyone else but not the slightest bit unhappy. Despite those waiting inside, the pair remained by the door for a moment, Naoto gently rubbing Kanji's arm as she looked up at him. "Well, we'll study later then, yes?"

"Yeah . . ." he murmured, slipping his free arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. Naoto flushed. She was still not quite keen on the idea of displaying affection out in the open and especially on school grounds, but it was still nice. Nice enough for her to not pull away though she did take a quick peek behind him to ensure that the hall was still empty. "Tch, paranoid." He teased. She slipped out of his grasp and lightly smacked his arm.

"Go on, make your oven mitt puppets."

He grabbed the brim of her hat and pulled it down over her eyes. "Don't study too hard."

She playfully swatted at his hand and pushed her hat back up, giving him a subtle nod before the two parted ways.

-----

A brief walk later had her at the lockers at the school's entrance, annoyance washing over her as she stood before her own. She had noticed the sharp white wedge sticking from the locker's door in less than a second. She sighed as she opened it. _'Please don't let this be another-'_

It was.

Naoto groaned quietly at the sealed love letter in her shoe locker. This was getting quite irritating and all the moreso being that it was from yet another female school mate. She would have thought that with the regretful beauty pageant last year and most of the police department now referring to her as the "Detective Princess" (which she was sure most of whom referred to her as such did to spite her) it would be clear that she was not the young man she had fooled everyone into thinking she had been. But despite it all those that had fallen in love with the boy detective fiercely clung to that identity, refusing to believe that he was a she and that everything which said otherwise was a vicious rumor or outright lie.

They would be in for a disappointment. It was only a matter of time before she began to show and it would be impossible to deny her true gender then. After all, boys didn't get pregnant.

Or rather, they only got pregnant in twisted mpreg fanfiction written by fangirls of questionable sanity, which this most certainly was not.

Right?

Naoto looked up at the ceiling as she clenched the letter tightly. "Hmmm . . . ."

"Dammit! I'm serious! If you don't come to practice I'm kicking your ass from the team!"

She looked up at the booming voice, seeing it come from one Daisuke Nagase, who was following an equally irate looking third year. She had seen him in the halls before, his tossed and unkempt bright orange hair was difficult to miss, as was the peeved narrow slits his brown eyes always seemed to have, but a name to the face escaped her at the moment. The young man scoffed, fumbling angrily with his shoe locker. "You always say that but you never do it."

Daisuke's brow flickered. "I've been more than fair to you, Tsukira! I gave you the benefit of the doubt because of your job, but if you don't get to the field today you can turn your uniform in tomorrow." He growled.

Ah, the surname rang a bell with the detective. Goro Tsukira, third year, a fullback on the soccer team – she'd heard rumblings that he'd been getting agitated and stressed, almost to the point of fierce aggression with anyone that got on his bad side. Safe to say the rumors had merit to them. Not that it concerned her in anyway but it was impossible to completely block out the shouting match, especially when Goro decided to take his anger out his locker by slamming it shut.

"Well aren't you just such the freakin' tough guy! Why do you even care about your stupid soccer team so much!? It's pathetic!" he roared.

"Pathetic? Look who's talking! You just keep blowing your friends and family off so you can go sort mail and lick envelopes! Yeah, real bright future you're throwing everything else away for, Tsukira!" With a toss of his arms, Daisuke turned heel and stormed towards the field, leaving a seething Goro in his wake. He lowered his head, teeth grinding as his clenched fists trembled at his sides.

"Stupid asshole." He spat, snapping his head up and whipping around towards Naoto. "What the hell are you lookin' at, Shirogane?!"

"Not a thing." She replied calmly, closing her locker and casually tossing the letter in the trash as she walked towards the exit.

"Bitch. You better not piss me off." He growled darkly. Naoto did not as much as falter as she pushed the doors open even as Goro unleashed a melee on the lockers, causing an ear-splitting ruckus in the main hall. She could only shake her head. Even her worst temper tantrums had never been as bad as that.

Anger like that could very well kill a man.

-----

A/N: No offense to anyone that's ever written an mpreg fic out there. I've actually read a few that were pretty good, but I couldn't resist the temptation to crack the forth wall a bit. Please review.


	9. Preparation

In Me It Shows

Chapter 9: Preparation

The halls of Yasogami High were thick with anxiety as the exams approached. With the cancellation of clubs the week before, most students were either heading home or flooding the library at the dismissal bell, all nervously attempting to cram a term's worth of knowledge into their brains.

Not Naoto. She was as calm and collected as ever, pouring over her notes and textbooks just as the other students did but without the tormented crease that everyone else had in their brows. She had no reason to be nervous. If anything, the week had gone by relatively smoothly for her. She had gotten over the shock that a second heart was beating inside her and had gained back a bit of the weight she lost. That aside, her studies had progressed at a rapid and efficient pace, just the way it had always been. She was more than prepared for the upcoming academic assault – as Chie had put it.

So why, then, did her hands tremble as she shuffled through her index cards? And the end of her pencil have numerous bite marks? And her eyes seem distant, almost distracted, even as they took in all of the information they scanned over.

It was subtle at first. No one noticed. But as the pre-exam week drew to a close the signs steadily grew in intensity and during one of their study sessions at Junes Yukiko asked her about it. Naoto dismissed it as nothing to be concerned about, something about low blood sugar, and excused herself to the produce department to get a piece of fruit.

It was now Saturday evening. All that remained between the students and a week of grueling tests was a cloudy Sunday, which most were sure to spend locked in their homes in one last frantic cram session. This was something Naoto wanted to avoid all together and as such, both she and Kanji were in his room going over the material one more time, though the way things were going was not quite encouraging.

"What was the style of houses in the Jomon period?"

"Uh . . . " Kanji rubbed the back of his neck. ". . they had houses back then?"

The brim of her cap just barely concealed the twitching of her brow. "Yes, Kanji-kun. Now what were they called?"

"I dunno. Caves?" he shrugged.

"Mud huts."

"Mud huts? The hell? Those aren't houses!"

Naoto rolled her eyes and moved on to the next question. "How fast does the Earth rotate near the equator?"

"Are you friggin' kidding me? How do they expect us to know this stuff?"

"By studying and paying attention in class. The answer is around 1,700 km/hour. Take note of that." Kanji could only scoff as Naoto began shuffling her notes together. "I believe that's as far as we're going to get on that subject. Let's review the material from earlier in the term."

"Whatever you say." He groaned, watching as she pulled a bundle of paper from her school bag . . . and dropped them in a scattered heap on the floor.

"Drat . . ." she muttered as she reached to collect the pages. Kanji reached over to help her, taking note of the restless twitches of her fingers even as Naoto seemingly disregarded it all together.

"Yur hands're shakin' pretty bad." There was a subtle flinch in her eye when he said that even though she was not the least bit startled. Shuffling the pages she collected into a bundle, she bowed her head, pressing her lips into a thin line as her eyes looked away. "What's on your mind?" he pressed, to which Naoto sighed.

"It's about my Grampa." She looked back up at him as he arched a brow. "I'm nervous . . . about breaking the news."

Kanji sighed as well, gritting his teeth as he looked down. "Don't blame ya."

"I've decided to tell him after the exams."

He looked back, somewhat surprised. "Well, that makes sense . . ."

She shook her head, looking up to lock his eyes with hers. "No, I mean I've decided. Saturday evening, after the last of the exams, that's when I'll tell him."

Kanji's eyes widened. "Woah . . . that's kinda . . .uh . ."

"I was afraid I would lose my nerve if I didn't set a concrete date. Once the exams are over I'll have no reason to not tell him. I'd just be stalling and he's going to find out one way or another." She paused and rubbed her arm as she looked down. "My anxiety's been getting worse with each passing day. I'm not sure how I'll handle the exams at this rate."

Kanji scoffed. "_Screw_ the exams. We got more important stuff to worry about. Don't know how you're gonna tell him?"

"No."

"Did ya look up some advice online?"

"I did, but most of what I found wasn't helpful. More condescending and presumptuous if anything."

"Whadday mean?"

"They all had this self-righteous attitude about them, going on about how everything "was going to be okay". As if they knew anything about the situation."

Kanji blinked, startled. "The hell are you sayin'? I mean, he's your _gramps_. He'll still love you."

"It's not a matter of whether or not he'll still love me." She sighed, closing her eyes as she bowed her head. "I . . . I've let him down, Kanji-kun. The last thing I've ever wanted to do was disappoint him."

"Yeah, I kinda get that. Never liked disappointin' Ma . . ."

His mother . . . now that he mentioned it, Kanji would have to tell her about their situation as well. He'd mentioned it once or twice in passing and hadn't seemed that apprehensive, but still, he had to be nervous as well, if only a little. "Have you thought about how you'll tell your mother?" she asked him.

He didn't answer right away, running his hand roughly through his hair before grunting. "Nah, not really. Figured it'd be best to just tell 'er up front."

"I've decided that would be the best way to tell my grandfather as well, but I don't know exactly what I'm going to say." She remained with her head lowered, listening as he rose to his feet and a heavy set of footsteps walked towards and behind her. She felt a warm presence scoot behind her and as such, was not at all surprised when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and gently massaged out the mounting tension.

"Don't think about it so much. Too much stress ain't good for Sal."

She opened her eyes, brow arched as she looked over her shoulder. "Sal?"

Kanji blushed. "Uh . . . yeah. Nickname for the kid. Rise came up with it."

Ah. Sal. Salamander. "Of course." She sighed and leaned against Kanji's chest. "The research I'd done suggested we should tell our families together. How do you feel about that?"

"S'lright with me. I already know Ma's gonna rip me a new one either way."

She craned her neck, looking somewhat surprised. "You're not afraid of facing my grandfather?"

"He's a nice old man. What's the worst he could do?"

"Use your for target practice."

Kanji paused, feeling himself grow a bit pale. "Y-you're kiddin', right?"

Naoto only lowered her head, shaking it solemnly. "I suppose there's little point in worrying over how they'll react. We must tell them soon and we'll see how they'll take it then. Fretting over it until then will not change any of that."

"Y-yeah. Thassa good way to go 'bout it I 'spose. But, uh . . ." Kanji paused and swallowed. " . . you don't _really_ think there's a chance your gramps is gonna shoot me, do you?"

-----

"Hold still Kanji! Sheesh . . ."

"Ow! Dammit! How the hell you expect me to hold still when you're pullin' my hair out?"

"I'm not pulling it. I'm combing it. Trying to anyway . . . geez, how much hair gel do you use? We're gonna hafta wash again."

"You've gotta be kiddin' me."

Naoto vaguely listened in on the exchange in the other room, doing her best to meditate despite the distractions. She was usually much more focused than this. Yosuke once told her that a plane could crash next to her and she'd be completely oblivious after he had spent nearly twenty minutes trying to get her attention while she meditated in the flood plain. She had to smirk at that. She'd known he was there the entire time. What she wouldn't give to have that kind of focus back now.

It wasn't a completely vain effort though. She managed to calm herself down which was the main purpose of this exercise. Stress was bad for the baby and apparently for her digestive system as well. The exams had flown by. Each day that passed had brought greater anxiety and more intense flairs of heartburn. Standard symptom of pregnancy, Dr. Tsukimori had assured her and told her she could take an over the counter antacid if she was careful not to exceed the dosage, though Naoto was sure her nerves had more to do with it than that.

And who could blame her? It was now Saturday, the last of the exams had ended just an hour ago and the moment she'd been dreading all week was upon her. She had already told her grandfather last night to reserve some time to speak with her and Kanji later in the afternoon. He had been visibly surprised by that but agreed to meet with the both of them. There would be no backing out now and just the thought of it turned her stomach.

At least the prospect of facing Kanji's mother was easier to swallow. She was still very nervous about it, but the woman was always so kind and gentle, treating her almost like a daughter. They decided to tell her first because though she was sure to go "ape shit" as Kanji put it, they agreed that she may handle the news better.

She also didn't have a loaded gun.

"Okay! We're ready!"

Naoto opened her eyes and watched as Rise tugged Kanji in behind her. They walked before her, Kanji looking absolutely peeved as Rise tucked one arm behind her back, the other stretched out towards him. "Tada! Whaddya think?" The idol grinned. "I do good work, huh?"

"I . . ." Naoto trailed off, blinking. Well this wasn't _entirely_ unexpected but it was still something of a surprise. She had no trouble picturing what Kanji would look like without the piercings and in semi-formal dress, though the pressed black pants and white dress shirt were a far cry from his normal attire. His hair, on the other hand, was another story. She couldn't remember a single instance in which it wasn't combed back and spiked. On second thought, there was the "Miss" Yasogami pageant but the entire thing was something she did her best to purge from her mind. That aside, even in their intimate moments, it was always the same.

Now his locks spilled freely over his brow, tamed and framing his face. Certainly a foreign look for the delinquent to have but it looked good. Very good.

Naoto blushed. "I have to say, Kanji-kun, you look quite handsome."

Kanji blinked and returned the blush. "Uh . . . I do?"

"Yes, of course." She smiled and stood up.

Rise folded her arms and gave a nod of approval. "Well, I think my work here is done. You guys ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be . . ." Kanji cringed nervously. Naoto said nothing, rubbing her forearm slowly.

Rise's gaze softened as she looked between the two. "Hey, it'll be okay. Worst comes to worst, you've got us, right?"

Naoto gave a small, nervous smile. "Y-yes. Shall we?" She looked up to Kanji, who shared her expression and answered with a nod. The two turned to leave.

"Wait!" They stopped, surprised when Rise threw her arms around Naoto's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. She blinked, frozen in the embrace until the idol released her, only for her to wrap her arms around Kanji's waist. "Good luck, guys."

"Um, th-thanks." Kanji stammered in response. He looked over to Naoto, who stood by rigidly as Rise released him. She glanced at the idol and called her attention with a nod. "Thank you for all of your support, Rise-chan. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it."

Rise grinned with a short and soft giggle on her breath. "Don't be silly, Naoto-kun! We're friends! It's just what friends do, right?"

"Of course, yes. You're right." It was on rare occasions that Naoto ever came close to mimicking Rise's expressions. She prided herself on being more reserved than that and for those that knew her, the smallest of smiles spoke volumes. But for now, she permitted a piece of her armor to chip away and the grin she gave came as near to mirroring Rise's as it ever would.

"Call me as soon as you're done, 'kay Naoto-kun?"

She nodded. "I will."

"And take care of Sal." With that she stepped forward to gently pat Naoto's stomach.

"R-Rise!" she squeaked, face flared red in an instant though she made no move of protest. Rise then moved her hand to Naoto's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Go on. Can't keep the Grandma-to-be waiting."

"Yeah, we should prolly get goin'." Kanji stepped in, wrapping his arm around Naoto's waist as she looked up at him. She nodded then moved her attention back to Rise. "I'll speak with you later this evening, Rise-chan."

"Don't forget." Rise said, taking a step back as the couple turned to leave. For a brief moment she wondered if it was stupid that she felt as nervous as they did about the situation. _Almost_ as nervous – she correct herself quickly – there was no way she could be feeling the full anxiety that they were. And besides, given her Persona, it was no surprise that it was there to begin with.

Even without it, Rise doubted she'd be feeling any different. Was it stupid? Either way, she decided she didn't care and she could be worried if she wanted to be. That's just what friends do, right?

She shook her head and continued to watch her friends' retreating forms, as prepared as they would ever be to face their families.

-----

A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait. I've been busy with medical school and all. As though that's an excuse. I digress, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think. Flames welcome. Seriously, flame me if you want. I like criticism. :)


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